Original frame question

Just wondering how many guys in the north east still have their original frames. I just bought a 1998 and it has the original frame according to the dealer when I ran the vin# with them. The frame looks to be in good shape but I looked up the vin and there was a recall sen to the original owner but I guess he never did anything and it is now obviously out of the 15 year period. So does anyone still have an original frame here in our lovely salt belt area that is still goin strong? And if there was a recall for it does that mean it is defiantly going to fail

 

Did you get it inspected? Just because it 'looks good' on the outside, doesn't mean anything. The rust cancer occurs from the inside out. The length of time you get out of the frame depends on the conditions the truck was exposed to.

I used to own a 96 that I sold in 2004 with 110,000 miles with original frame.
I can't remember when this warranty first came out - but I obviously didn't know about it at that time (or else I would've taken advantage of it).

The guy I sold it to, still has the truck. He contacted me a few months ago wondering how he could fix the frame. He didn't know about the warranty until after it had expired. The frame had cracked and wouldn't pass inspection. This truck has been in south central PA all its life, so its been exposed to snow/salt/etc. So, in a sense...that frame lasted 18 years.

If the truck has a salt-free, stored in a garage, kinda life...your frame might last forever. But.....for the rest of them, they'll fail eventually (borrowed time).

 

I bought the truck last week from a used car dealer/body shop. Before they can release the truck to me it has to be inspected but I'm sure the guy has a buddy that owns a shop that does all of his inspections. I was planning on taking it to my mechanic once I get it to have it gone over. I guess I should have done more research before buying I was not aware it starts from the inside.

 

You can't take your guy to the dealership?

 

I can take it to the dealer after it is released to me from the used car place I bought it from. I am way past the deadline of being able to have anything fixed though if there is an issue.

 

195k on my frame.. Alls Well! Had toyota do the undercoating almost 3yrs ago.

I would have the inspection done at the dealer also. You are SOL w/ the 'recall' but I would still go to the dealer for peace of mind

 

my '97 has at least 300k on it and according to the Toyota owners website has zero service history so I'm assuming that means original frame and it still looks good, and that's after a life in Utah with all the snow and salt and what not.

 

My 1995 shows 1 service on the Toyota website. July of 2008 the frame was inspected:

8711B1 ~|~RECALL RUST ~|~F ~|~INSPECTED NO RUST. WPI

That was at 155k. It has 215k now. The frame looks like it has a coating on it, but the PO said the owner before him did that himself since he was a Toyota tech. There is a load of rush in the bed rails and body. The frame looks to be ok but I'm no expert.

Way out of "warranty" period here to, but I thought I heard something that if inspected it extends the warranty. Too much confusion the subject.

 

I have almost 200k on my 02 and it has the original frame. It was inspected and coated back in 09 where the service manager read me the riot act on how my sliders are welded on so the warranty is void and that is causing frame rust. He could not explain to me how the heat from welding caused the large amounts of rust back by the shackle mounts. I have since welded more to the frame and have accepted the reality that i will be self repairing my frame until i scrap the truck since they sure wont warranty it now. My frames pretty rusty but nothings soft which is good.

 

Well it's good to hear some are still going strong. I was buying this truck for a winter beater because I didn't want to drive my new powerstroke in the salt but I really am starting to think of the truck of more than just a winter beater. It's growing on me and I would like it to last and to be able to hold on to it

 

So today was the first time I got to actually look over my frame good with a hammer. Unfortunately I found a questionable spot. It is between the passenger side front leaf spring mount and the crossmember that goes up to the bed and back to the driverside of the frame. It is a hole about the size of a half dollar. The rest of the frame seems ok but it's kinda a bummer to find that. I guess I'll have to see what it will take to fix it. Also today was the first time I got to drive the truck at high speeds and once I get around 60 mph and up I get a shake in the front end any ideas what that could be?